Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekskye’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekskye’, characterized by its pompon-type inflorescences with green to white-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; uniform flowering habit; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DEKSKYE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekskye’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new pompon-type Chrysanthemum plants with strong flowering stems, attractive and unique ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Feb. 15, 2008, of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41048, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 04.42289.03, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands in October, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since November, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekskye’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekskye’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Pompon-type inflorescences with green to white-colored ray         florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Uniform flowering habit.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about 22 days in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Centers of inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum         are not as open as centers of inflorescences of plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower five days later than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Centers of inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum         are not as open as centers of inflorescences of plants of the         male parent selection.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male         parent selection differ in color as plants of the male parent         selection have green-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Greenpeace’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Greenpeace’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were not as vigorous as         plants of ‘Greenpeace’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger leaves than plants         of ‘Greenpeace’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had stronger stems than         plants of ‘Greenpeace’.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered two days earlier         than plants of ‘Greenpeace’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekskye’ grown as a spray-type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper (top of photograph) and lower surfaces (bottom of photograph) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Dekskye’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given 1.5 weeks of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7 kilolux. Plants were nine weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekskye’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41048,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             04.42289.03, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous pompon-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong.             Length: About 75 cm. Stem diameter: About 7 mm. Spray             diameter: About 20 cm to 30 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm             to 3 cm. Texture: Finely pubescent; longitudinally ridged.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 9 cm to 13 cm. Width: About 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, serrate;             sinuses parallel to divergent. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent, slightly rough; veins prominent on             lower surface. Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully developed             leaves, upper surface: Darker than 147A; venation, close to             147B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Darker than             147B; venation, close to 146A. Petiole: Length: About 2 cm             to 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Slightly rough. Color, upper surface: Close             to 147B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Pompon-type inflorescence form with             obovate-shaped ray florets and tubular disc florets;             inflorescences borne perpendicular to axillary laterals             (peduncles); ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); uniform flowering response;             plants exposed to 1.5 weeks of long day/short night             conditions after planting followed by photoinductive short             day/long night conditions flower about 52 days later when             grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about 22 days; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Grown as a spray type, about 15             inflorescences develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm to 4 cm. Depth             (height): About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Disc diameter: About 5 mm.             Receptacle height: About 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About             8 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical. Height:             About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.4 cm. Width: About 3 mm             to 8 mm. Shape: Obovate, incurved. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number per             inflorescence: About 250 arranged in about 15 whorls.             Aspect: Erect to horizontal. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D, apices close to             145A; color of apices becoming closer to 145C to 145D with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to NN155D, apices close to 145B; color of apices             becoming closer to 145C to 145D with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, erect and elongated.             Apex: Dentate. Length: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Number per inflorescence: About 20, massed at the             center of the receptacle. Color: Apex: Close to 144B.             Mid-section: Close to 22A. Base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Width: About             2 mm to 4 mm. Shape: Oval-shaped. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Rounded to truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence:             About 25 to 30 arranged in about two to three whorls. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: Terminal inflorescence             bud removed to enhance spray development. Length, fourth             peduncle: About 13 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About             15 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Strength: Strong.             Angle: About 30° from the flowering stem axis. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Not observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekskye’ as illustrated and described. 